By Treena Mielke
The beauty that abounds in four of the lovely gardens in the area surrounding Rimbey will be showcased soon in a leading gardening magazine.
The gardens of Caroline Rallison, Bonnie Looy, Evelyn Becker, and Rod and Tracy Jordan, who all live in the area around Rimbey, were selected by The Rimbey and District Horticulture Club and special guest, Darlene Polachic, a writer from Gardens West Magazine, as the top four picks to be featured in the magazine.
Diana Pearman from the Rimbey and District Horticulture Club said the idea of selecting the gardens originated when she was approached by a writer from Gardens West Magazine asking her if she knew of any beautiful gardens in the area.
“I enlisted the horticultural group in an effort to find lovely gardens. We put an ad in the paper to ask for nominations.”
Pearman said the yards were selected from among the nominations.
“Yards were selected according to the criteria of the magazine. Some of the criteria included being well-kept, special methods, visual appeal, creativity, color, features, focal points, being beautifully photographable and overall impression.”
Pearman said the yards were wonderful to see and she is especially pleased that such talented gardeners will have their work displayed in such a prominent magazine.
“The magazine writer (Darlene Polachic) was truly amazed and impressed with the quality and talent our gardeners’ possess,” she said. “She meant to pick only one but decided to feature all four of the gardens.”
Pearman is excited for the gardeners she described as “shy, humble” people who just enjoy “digging around in the dirt” and end up creating beautiful and unique masterpieces.
Rallison, whose exquisite flowers and obvious talent with her outdoor showcase of loveliness said for her, gardening is simply a hobby. “It’s a pastime, I enjoy it, I even like pulling weeds.”
Her sister, Bonnie Looy, said farming keeps her busy, and she also has two huge vegetable gardens, so her flowers receive the least attention.
“I am surprised, but pleased to be selected,” she said. “I like my flowers, but I think a vegetable garden is more important. You can eat it.”
However, she admits to especially loving tiger lilies she has planted in a delightful profusion down her driveway.
“They don’t last near long enough,” she said.
Looy also has antiques and artifacts displayed in her picturesque farm, not the least of which is a workable outhouse.
“Our finishing carpenter presented it to me as a gift,” she said. “And it’s great. Why have to go to the house when you need to go to the bathroom when you can go outside?”
Looy said gardening has long been a family tradition with her and her sisters inheriting the love of growing vegetables and flowers from their mother, Rose Looy.
“Our mother was an avid gardener. She loved her flowers,” she said.
Evelyn Becker was pleased that her garden has been selected to be presented in the gardening magazine.
“I am quite thrilled actually. It certainly is an honor.”
Becker and her husband Douglas cleared the land for their quarter section 30 years ago and it was then the humble beginnings of her garden began.
“We started by just planting the lawn,” she said.
Now her lovely garden creation has expanded to include about an average of 15 hours a week worth of maintenance.
“It is my passion,” she said. “You have to like it because it does require a lot of time.”
Becker’s favorite flower is lilies, which she has “scattered all over the yard.” Her favorite part of gardening is seeing the plants begin to grow. “I like it when things start popping out of the ground.”
Pearman said viewing the yards was an interesting and enjoyable experience for all involved.
“We thank each and every one of you who made the time to accept the nominations and tours, which allowed all of us to take pleasure and pride in our community’s beauty.”